


The scent of you

by Crookes



Category: The Last Kingdom (TV), The Warrior Chronicles | The Saxon Stories - Bernard Cornwell
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, M/M, stealing clothes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-11
Updated: 2020-09-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:47:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26398126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crookes/pseuds/Crookes
Summary: It was totally normal that Uhtred liked the way his best friends' clothes smelled, right?
Relationships: Finan/Uhtred of Bebbanburg
Comments: 8
Kudos: 56





	The scent of you

**Author's Note:**

> Another self-indulgent fluffy fic? It's more likely than you think!
> 
> This isn't even really edited sorry
> 
> Inspired by [the courage of my convictions](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25631359) by [bird_on_a_wire](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bird_on_a_wire) and therefore dedicated to her cause she's lovely and her writing is amazing and I couldn't get the idea of Uhtred liking how Finan smelled out of my head

The first time it was an accident. Uhtred was late for work and he grabbed the first shirt he saw.

It was only halfway there, stuck in traffic, that he realised it was Finan’s. He noticed the smell first, sandalwood, not a smell he usually associated with himself but pleasant. It was one of Finan’s nicer work shirts, dark blue, similar to another shirt Uhtred owned, no wonder he had picked it up by mistake.

Still watching for any sign of the traffic moving Uhtred tugged the collar out slightly and breathed in the scent. Finan had been wearing the same aftershave for almost as long as Uhtred had known him. It was almost comforting.

Honestly he was surprised it hadn’t happened before, he and Finan had been in each other’s pockets pretty much since they had first met at university and shared a flat since third year.

He sent Finan a text when he pulled up at work, half apology, half teasing and got ‘thieving bastard’ back. Sable raised an eyebrow at him when he walked through reception.

“Uhtred, you’re laughing,” she commented.

“Not unheard of Sable,” Uhtred winked at her as he hiked his bag further up his shoulder and pushed through the office doors to head to his desk.

He thought nothing more of it through the day, busy with the fundraiser Aethelflaed had him in charge of, but every now and then he would catch the smell of sandalwood and smile.

~

The second time was slightly less accidental but could still be passed off as unintentional. Uhtred had had the absolute worst day and was fully geared up to rant to Finan about it once he got back. Only Finan wasn’t yet home when Uhtred got to the flat so all the energy he had built up to vent about his awful, no-good day deflated out of him with a gusty sigh.

He threw his bag in the corner somewhere and had half pulled his shirt off before he even reached his room, feeling too constricted by it. He switched to a pair of joggers and opened his wardrobe to grab a hoodie but his favourite hoodie wasn’t even there.

Slamming the wardrobe shut with more force than the situation really warranted, Uhtred stalked back into the living room. He just wanted something comfortable to sulk in, was it really too much to ask?

Finan had left some of his clothes on the radiator behind the sofa to dry, his university hoodie included. Uhtred prodded at it, dry enough, warm even, the radiators having been timed to switch on an hour before they got home.

Uhtred couldn’t see the point of digging around his own laundry basket for his hoodie when Finan’s was right there, he doubted Finan would mind.

He pulled it on, feeling the warmth seep into his skin. He already felt better.

The smell of their shared laundry detergent and an underlying hint of sandalwood enveloped him.

He always teased Finan for buying the same aftershave but he had to admit it suited his friend and he had become so used to the smell since they had lived together that it now triggered sense memories of morning coffees and late night movie marathons.

Satisfied Uhtred went to the kitchen to grab a beer from the fridge.

By the time Finan got home Uhtred was comfortably ensconced on the sofa, happily murdering orcs on the playstation to work out some of his frustration.

“You look like you’re sulking, bad day?” Finan asked as he dropped his bag next to Uhtred’s and flopped down next to him on the sofa.

“The worst,” Uhtred griped, not even looking up as he focused on landing a finishing move. Finan had brought with him a gust of cold air when he opened the door and Uhtred unconsciously burrowed further into his, Finan’s, hoodie.

Finan’s gaze flickered to him.

“Is that mine?” he asked.

“Uh yeah, sorry, was too tired to find mine,” Uhtred looked up then, Finan looked like he had had an equally long day, dark circles under his eyes, “you want it back?”

“Nah it’s fine, just chuck it back in the wash when you’re done, I might join you for a beer though if I can convince myself to stand up again,” Finan sighed.

Uhtred glanced back at the TV, realising he’d been killed, he flicked to the menu and threw the controller to the side.

“I’ll grab you one, I’m out anyway,” Uhtred said as he rose from the sofa, Finan gave him a tired, grateful smile.

They ended up ordering takeaway and drinking more beer than was strictly advisable on a weeknight but the days troubles were all but forgotten by the time they went to bed.

Uhtred woke the next morning still wearing Finan’s hoodie, it just smelled like himself now, he put it in with his own washing and got ready for work.

~

The third time Uhtred had to admit he might have a problem.

He poked his head round Finan’s door on a Saturday morning.

“I’ve only got half a load of whites, you need anything washing?” Uhtred asked.

“Jesus Uhtred, I was enjoying a lie-in,” Finan grumbled, head poking out from under his duvet, eyes bleary.

“Yeah well, do you?” Uhtred persisted, he had dealt with grumpy morning-Finan often enough to not be phased.

“Probably,” Finan huffed. Uhtred leaned against the doorframe, waiting whilst Finan got up to shuffle over to his laundry basket.

Finan was only wearing boxers and his hair was sticking up at odd angles, Uhtred had a passing thought that he didn’t understand why Finan was still single. Plenty of men and women were all over him when they went out but they didn’t go out much these days, they both probably worked too hard.

Maybe he would suggest a night at the pub, Uhtred was sure half of London’s population would kill for the sight that currently greeted him. Then Uhtred remembered the annoyance he had felt at people buying Finan drinks the whole night last time.

Perhaps he wouldn’t suggest it after all.

“Come on,” Uhtred prodded, impatient suddenly. Finan glared at him and shoved a pile of clothes in his arms.

“You’re making the coffee,” Finan pointed at him accusingly, Uhtred found it hard to take the implied threat of violence seriously when Finan still looked so sleep-rumpled.

“You, er – might want to brush your hair by the way,” Uhtred laughed and ducked out the way as Finan threw a shoe at him and slammed the door.

Uhtred would make Finan a coffee but he’d get the washing in first, he sorted through the clothes Finan had chucked at him and found himself lingering over the task. The musky smell of sandalwood surrounded him and he thought again how comforting it was.

On impulse Uhtred put one of the t-shirts to the side, hoarding it for himself, and put the rest of the clothes in the washing machine. It was only one of Finan’s older, threadbare t-shirts, he doubted his friend would miss it.

He tried not to analyse the fact that he had now officially _stolen_ one of Finan’s t-shirts just because he liked the smell as he started the washing machine, put the t-shirt in his room and then returned to the kitchen to make coffee.

He realised it probably wasn’t normal flatmate _or_ friend behaviour but if he just didn’t think about it then it wasn’t an issue.

He brought Finan his coffee, the man in question having crawled back under his duvet, awake but reluctant to move until it was at least 10am. It looked like he had attempted to smooth down his hair but had been mostly unsuccessful, Uhtred smiled at him, fond and amused as Finan rumbled his thanks.

He retreated to his room then with his own coffee, setting it on his bedside table before confronting the elephant in the room. The t-shirt he had snuck from Finan’s washing, chucked onto the end of his bed.

He stood looking at it for a moment, this was weird, this was weird right?

It didn’t stop him from walking over and lifting the t-shirt to his face though, breathing in the smell of it.

Uhtred pulled his jumper off and put Finan’s t-shirt on, it was fine, everything was fine, he just liked the smell, couldn’t be blamed for that. It didn’t have to mean anything.

He pulled his jumper back on over the t-shirt and settled onto his bed, enjoying the slow warmth of his coffee and the smell of sandalwood as he figured out what he needed to do for the day.

~

Uhtred tried not to think about the fact that he kept Finan’s shirt on as often as possible, even sleeping in it, he really did. But a point came when the t-shirt no longer smelled like Finan and suddenly Uhtred couldn’t sleep without the smell of sandalwood.

The next day he arrived home from work before Finan so he shamelessly snuck into Finan’s bedroom and rooted through his laundry basket.

He knew he was going mad, really he did but it didn’t seem to matter.

Midway he found the hoodie Finan had bought when they visited Dublin, he could still remember Finan’s exuberance as he’d dragged Uhtred round _proper_ Irish pubs. Finan didn’t really speak to his family anymore but he still had such a love for his home country, Uhtred couldn’t remember a better vacation.

He took the hoodie back to his room, hiding it under his pillow and was starting dinner by the time Finan arrived home, greeting his best friend like he hadn’t been rooting around the man’s laundry just 20 minutes before.

Uhtred slept better that night, fist curled into the hoodie, the smell of home surrounding him.

~

Uhtred kept the hoodie under his pillow, the smell lasted longer when he didn’t actually wear the article of clothing in question.

Only he found himself missing the smell at work, looking forward to it on the drive home, leaning slightly closer than normal when he and Finan sat together on the sofa. It was becoming a problem.

Logically he knew he would be caught out eventually but it was only when he returned home from doing the grocery shopping one Sunday to find Finan turning the living room upside down he realised he might be in trouble.

“Have you seen my hoodie from Dublin?” Finan asked.

“Uh, let me check if it’s got mixed up with my stuff,” Uhtred answered.

He dropped the groceries in the kitchen and headed to his room, if he had any luck Finan would leave him to it and he could pretend he’d picked it up somewhere and chucked it in with his own washing.

Uhtred was not lucky.

He was surreptitiously pulling the hoodie from under his pillow when Finan pushed his bedroom door open.

Finan looked confused when Uhtred looked up. Which was a reasonable response.

Uhtred froze, he had absolutely no idea how to explain the fact that he’d kept Finan’s hoodie under his pillow for three weeks.

“Uh – “ Uhtred stuttered. Finan just kind of blinked at him.

“Okay so you have my hoodie,” Finan said finally.

“Yeah,” Uhtred answered and tossed the offending article of clothing to Finan.

“Do I ask why you had it under your pillow?” Finan asked.

“Uh, no reason?” Uhtred offered.

“Okaaaaaay,” Finan answered disbelievingly and left the room.

Uhtred was fucked.

~

They didn’t talk about it, of course they didn’t.

Finan was too good for that, he wouldn’t pry, he would let Uhtred speak to him in his own time.

Only Uhtred didn’t know how to even begin explaining the whole incident so he just avoided it.

He went to work and came home and had dinner and slept and went to work again.

All the while studiously not thinking about how he missed the smell of sandalwood when he was drifting off to sleep.

Or how none of his own jumpers or hoodies felt as comfortable anymore.

Or how burying his nose in the crook of Finan’s neck was suddenly all he could think about.

It was fine. Everything was fine.

~

It was not fine. It was stressing Uhtred out.

Every moment he was home he was aware of where Finan was and worse, what he was wearing. He didn’t know how he had never noticed how many jumpers Finan owned before, or how all of them looked so endearingly soft and comfortable, but it was a problem. Uhtred wanted to steal all of them.

He wasn’t stupid, he had reconciled the fact that this sudden preoccupation with Finan’s clothes was actually a preoccupation with Finan himself. Uhtred didn’t really understand why he was having more-than-friendly feelings _now_ when he’d known Finan for the better part of a decade but he reasoned that he could probably just wait it out so he didn’t make things awkward between them.

Only talking himself out of sneaking into Finan’s room to grab one of his jumpers every time Finan was out was getting harder and harder.

He couldn’t get caught again, Finan wouldn’t let him dodge the question a second time, Uhtred was sure of it. Which meant he had to be careful, he had to plan.

Thankfully Finan provided him with an opportunity.

“I’m off out tonight, you wanna join?” Finan announced as he walked into the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water.

Uhtred glanced up from where he was trying to decide how much pasta was too much pasta given the week he’d had. He had been too distracted at work and it had descended into chaos as a result, Aethelflaed had snapped at him to get some rest over the weekend when he’d left. By which she meant ‘screw your head back on before Monday or I _will_ get angrier’.

Finan was leaning against the counter, eyebrow raised as he waited for an answer (wearing that black woollen jumper he had bought at a thrift store last time they went to Soho, _damn him_ ).

“Probably not mate, too tired,” Uhtred shrugged and went back to his pasta. Then, because he was apparently a glutton for punishment, “Who with?”

“Just some of the work guys, they want to go to a place in Camden so I’ll probably crash at Eadith’s,” Finan told him.

Uhtred felt his gut clench, he knew things had ended between Finan and Eadith but they were still close.

“Sounds good, have fun,” Uhtred answered because he was a _good friend damn it_ and this was his problem and his problem alone.

It was only half-way through cooking his dinner that Uhtred realised he would have the flat to himself for the night. He felt distinctly less grumpy as he finished up and listened to the sounds of Finan getting ready.

Uhtred was settled on the sofa with his food by the time Finan left his room, ready to head out. T-shirt and black bomber jacket, he’d put more aftershave on. Uhtred shoved a forkful of pasta in his mouth to stop himself from inhaling.

“Catch you later,” Finan waved as he shoved his wallet and keys in his jeans pocket and left, Uhtred waved back and waited.

He gave it a good ten minutes to be sure Finan wasn’t going to walk back through the door claiming he had forgotten something. Once Uhtred was sure he was in the clear he paused the show he’d flicked on on Netflix and set his food down on the coffee table.

He paused before Finan’s door, he had been in Finan’s room a million times but it felt a little intrusive suddenly. Uhtred scratched the back of his neck absently, it was just whilst he got his feelings under control, he would put whatever he took back before Finan returned in the morning and no harm done.

Except perhaps to himself.

Uhtred pushed the door open, the smell of sandalwood was stronger in here, it filled his senses.

Finan had chucked the jumper he had worn earlier on the bed when he was getting ready. Uhtred grabbed it and retreated hastily before his tired brain could convince him to just take a nap on Finan’s bed.

Standing back in the living room he looked around, half expecting someone to jump out and tell him off.

No-one did.

Decided, Uhtred figured if he was going to mope then he was going to mope _properly._

Jumper in hand he went to his own room and switched to pyjama bottoms, pulling his t-shirt off and pulling Finan’s jumper on. He stopped for a moment to pull the collar to his face and breath the scent in. It smelled like home.

A few minutes later he was back on the sofa with a blanket and a couple beers. He pulled the tie out if his hair and worked his fingers through the knots, feeling the tension drain out of him. He flicked the TV to some old war film and finished eating his dinner, pausing every now and then to worry at the collar of the jumper.

The wool was soft and warm against his skin, accompanied by the comforting smell of sandalwood and the beers Uhtred found himself slipping further and further down onto the sofa.

He could probably rest his eyes just for a bit. Finan wouldn’t be back till the morning, he would still have time to put the jumper back before he went to bed.

Uhtred awoke bleary-eyed in pitch blackness, the TV had powered off at some point, he stretched slightly with a groan and pulled the blanket closer round his shoulders. He should get up and go to bed he realised but he was currently far too comfortable to move.

Instead he buried his face in the sleeve of his, Finan’s, jumper. _Just a few more minutes._

Then he was jerking upright because _that_ was the sound of a key in the door.

Uhtred pulled the blanket around his shoulders as best he could as Finan walked in and flicked the light on.

“Ah, sorry, thought you’d be in bed by now,” Finan apologised as he walked in and Uhtred squinted through the sudden burst of light.

“It’s fine, I was just going, good night?” Uhtred rasped, voice still hoarse from sleep.

“It was fine, didn’t fancy staying out late in the end, just wanted to come home, y’know?”

Uhtred hummed his understanding, Finan did look as tired as he felt. He watched his friend carefully as Finan chucked his keys on the side and flopped down on the floor by the sofa, leaning up against the coffee table.

The smell of his aftershave had faded, interlaced with beer and sweat.

Finan sighed and returned Uhtred’s stare.

“You’re wearing my jumper,” Finan commented, it sounded almost offhand but Uhtred felt his heart rate ratchet up in response.

“Oh, uh sorry, I was cold and mine are in the wash,” Uhtred chuckled, trying to play it off. It sounded forced even to his own ears. 

“In the wash,” Finan deadpanned.

“Yeah.”

“All of them.”

“Uh, yeah?”

Finan dragged a hand over his face, “Uhtred, are you trying to kill me?”

“Not that I know of, I mean there was that time I dared you to jump in the Thames when we were drunk but I think I’ve generally avoided putting your life at risk?” Uhtred answered, half-asleep brain trying to catch up with what Finan was saying.

Before Uhtred had time to process it Finan was sitting on the sofa next to him.

“You’re wearing my clothes, you’ve _been_ wearing my clothes and now I come home and you’re just sat here, in _my_ jumper, with your hair sticking up all over the place- ”

“Hey-!”

“Looking like _that_ for fucks sake!”

“Alright so I fell asleep on the sofa and I look a mess, so sue me. I’m sorry I borrowed your jumper, ok? I didn’t realise you would be so precious about it,” Uhtred snapped.

“Uhtred,” Finan sighed, hand reaching out to pull at the collar of his jumper, Uhtred froze as he felt the touch of Finan’s fingers against his neck, “sweet Jesus every time I think I’m over it you drag me back in.”

“Over…,” Uhtred cleared his throat, mouth dry, “over what?”

They paused, watching each other, aware that there was a line, aware that once they crossed that line there would be no going back.

Uhtred leaned forward the same moment that Finan did, it was clumsy at first, Uhtred still sleep-fogged and Finan a few beers deep but _oh_ it was so good. Warm and satisfying and thrilling.

Familiar and brand new.

Uhtred pulled at Finan, marvelling that he tasted even better than he smelled as Finan groaned into his mouth. Uhtred could do this forever, he _intended_ to do this forever.

~

Uhtred groaned as he woke to the sound of his alarm, he reached out groggily to tap at his phone till it shut up and burrowed further under the duvet.

He rolled over slightly and wrapped an arm around sleep-warm skin.

“We have to get up,” Uhtred mumbled into Finan’s shoulder.

“Ugh, why?” Finan complained.

“Jobs, money, rent. The usual.”

“Getting up sucks.”

Uhtred hummed his agreement into Finan’s skin, he had always been more of a morning person than Finan but in the year that they had been together Uhtred had found himself running late more than once, too reluctant to leave the warmth of the bed that now smelled like them.

“Come on,” Uhtred coaxed, pressing a sleepy kiss to Finan’s shoulder, “if you get up now, you can join me in the shower.”

“You don’t play fair,” Finan huffed.

Uhtred was making coffee for them both, pulling his wet hair into a knot, when Finan crashed into the kitchen.

“Uhtred have you seen my…, seriously? I was going to wear that today.”

“Should have been quicker getting ready then,” Uhtred grinned.

“Fine, I’m taking one of your shirts,” Finan pointed at him accusingly.

“You do that,” Uhtred laughed.

Finan returned a few minutes later in one of Uhtred’s white shirts and Uhtred passed him his travel mug.

“Why do you always look better in my clothes than I do?” Finan grumbled at him.

“Luck of the gene pool,” Uhtred quipped and pulled on the collar of Finan’s, _his,_ shirt to drag him into a sharp kiss. Uhtred had to admit he quite liked seeing Finan in his clothes as well.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed!


End file.
